Automated software metering of digital payloads

1. A method of cost metering for providing data transmission services, comprising steps of: accepting user specification of data files to be transmitted; accepting user specification of one or more destinations to which the user specified data files are to be transmitted; accepting user specification of data handling services to be provided in conjunction with transmission of the user specified data files, the user specified data handling services being selected from a predefined set of services that comprise compression, encryption, time stamping, and delivery services; computing of a cost associated with transmission of the user specified data files, the cost being based on one or more of the specified data handling services; displaying a pictorial representation of a digital payload envelope that does not include the user specified files, the digital envelop comprising a representation of the computed cost, the representation being displayed to a recipient at the one or more destinations; and, upon receipt of a user command from the recipient that indicates acceptance of the cost, transmitting a digital payload envelope including the user specified data files.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step upon receipt of the user command of debiting the computed cost from an account associated with an entity selected from a group consisting of a sender, the recipient, and an authorized agent, the account being associated with a prior account selection made by the sender.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the computed cost is a function of an amount of data to be transmitted.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computed cost is a function of the user specified data handling services.

5. The method of claim 1, further including: assembling a transmittal form envelope, for use in conjunction with delivery of the digital payload envelope, the transmittal form envelope having multiple fields for storing data representing sender identification, the destinations to which the user specified data files are to be transmitted, identity of the digital payload envelope, and the user specified data handling services; and, transmitting the digital payload envelope and the transmittal form envelope together.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a subset of the fields of the transmittal form envelope are represented in a bar coded form.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the bar coded fields are displayed and processed by an entity selected from a group consisting of the sender, the recipient and an authorized intermediate agent node.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a subset of the fields of the transmittal form envelope are encrypted.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of assembling further comprises a step of generating multiple copies or versions of the transmittal form envelope to meet security and quality of service needs.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending further comprises a step of creating multiple copies of the digital payload envelope to meet security and quality of service needs.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of assembling further comprises a step of aggregating a set of authorized digital payload envelopes into the digital payload envelope.

12. A method of cost metering for providing data transmission services, comprising the steps of: transmitting, by a sender, a request to compute a cost of transmitting a digital payload, the request being sent to a billing server, the request to compute including a set data handling services comprising a size of the digital payload, a set of data types comprising the digital payload, an encryption method used to encrypt at least a subset of the digital payload, and a quality of delivery service; calculating a cost, by the billing server, based on at least a subset of data handling services; communicating a response, by the billing server, to the sender, the response representing both the cost to send the digital payload to the recipient; and, in response to receiving the response, sending, by the sender, a digital payload envelope to the recipient, the digital payload envelope comprising the digital payload.

13. The method claim 12, further comprising a step of debiting, by the billing server, the cost from an account selected from a group consisting of a sender account associated with the sender, a recipient account associated with the recipient, and an agent account associated with at least a subset of the sender and the recipient.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of debiting further comprises a step of charging an account for an amount of money that is greater than the amount of money in the account.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising steps of: accepting a set of user specifications of data files to be transmitted as part of the digital payload; accepting a set of user specifications of one or more destinations to which the user specified data files are to be transmitted; and, accepting a set of user specifications associated with the data handling services.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising a steps of: generating a separate transmittal form envelope to ensure proper handling and charging for delivery of the digital payload envelope, the transmittal form envelope comprising multiple fields, comments, and instructions; and, processing, by at least a subset of entities comprising the sender, the recipient, and an authorized agent, of the transmittal form envelope to determine associated charges and one or more destinations of the digital payload envelope; and, wherein the step of sending further comprises a step of sending the digital payload envelope and the transmittal form envelope together or separately; on the same channel or on different channels.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of assembling, at least a subset of the fields are in a bar coded form.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of assembling, at least a subset of the fields are encrypted.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of assembling further comprises a step of generating multiple copies or versions of the transmittal form envelope to meet security and quality of service needs.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of communicating, the response includes an authorization to aggregate more than one digital payload in a digital payload envelope; and, wherein the step of sending further comprises a step of aggregating more than one digital payload into the digital payload envelope.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of sending further comprises a step of sealing the digital payload envelope using at least a subset of methods comprising encryption and a digital signature to ensure that the digital payload envelope is only accessible by an intended recipient.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of sending, the digital payload envelope further comprises a stamp that represents the cost and a stamp dispenser indicating an amount of credit remaining in an account associated with the recipient.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of transmitting, the billing server maintains a set of accounts associated with a set of entities selected from a group consisting of the sender, a recipient, and an authorized agent, the billing server also maintaining a set of authorized data handling and delivery services associated with at least a subset of the set of entities.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of sending does not involve the billing server.

25. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a processor, the computer program product comprising a first computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising a controller configuration system procedure, the controller configuration system procedure including instructions for: transmitting, by a sender, a request to compute a cost of transmitting a digital payload, the request being sent to a billing server, the request to compute including a set data handling services comprising a size of the digital payload, a set of data types comprising the digital payload, an encryption method used to encrypt at least a subset of the digital payload, and a quality of delivery service; calculating a cost, by the billing server, based on at least a subset of the set of data handling services; communicating a response, by the billing server, to the sender, the response representing the cost for the sender to send the digital payload to the recipient; and, in response to receiving the response, sending, by the sender, a digital payload envelope to the recipient, the digital payload envelope comprising the digital payload.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising instructions for debiting, by the billing server, the cost from an account selected from a group consisting of a sender account associated with the sender, a recipient account associated with the recipient, and an agent account associated with at least a subset of the sender and the recipient.

27. The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising instructions for: accepting a set of user specifications of data files to be transmitted as part of the digital payload; and, accepting a set of user specifications of one or more recipients to which the user specified data files are to be transmitted.

28. The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising instructions for: generating a separate transmittal form envelope to ensure proper handling and charging for delivery of the digital payload envelope, the transmittal form envelope comprising multiple fields, comments, and instructions; and, processing, by at least a subset of entities comprising the sender, the recipient, and an authorized agent, of the transmittal form envelope to determine associated charges and one or more destinations of the digital payload envelope; and, wherein the step of sending further comprises a step of sending the digital payload envelope and the transmittal form envelope together or separately; on the same channel or on different channels.

29. The computer program product of 28, wherein the instructions for assembling, at least a subset of the fields are represented in a bar coded form.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the instructions for assembling, at least a subset of the fields are encrypted.

31. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the instructions for assembling further comprises instructions for generating multiple copies or versions of the transmittal form envelope to meet security and quality of service needs.

32. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the instructions for communicating, the response comprises an authorization to aggregate more than one digital payload in a digital payload envelope; and, wherein the instructions for of sending further comprises instructions for aggregating more than one digital payload into the digital payload envelope.

33. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the instructions for sending further comprises instructions for sealing the digital payload envelope using at least a subset of methods comprising encryption and a digital signature to ensure that the digital payload envelope is only accessible by an intended recipient.

34. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the instructions for sending, the digital payload envelope further comprises a representation of the cost and a stamp dispenser indicating an amount of credit remaining in an account associated with the recipient.

35. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the instructions for sending do not involve the billing server.